Chapelle Saint-Yves
MonumentHidden Treasure
Chapelle Saint-Yves, located in Priziac (Département 56), is a medieval landmark built in the Middle Ages. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- autre
- Period
- Medieval (11th-15th century)
- Location
- Priziac, Département 56, Bretagne
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 48.0712, -3.4506
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00091591
A neo-Gothic jewel in the Pontivy region, the chapel of Saint-Yves in Priziac is striking for its sculpted gallery, where the seven deadly sins are depicted under the wooden vault, with its elaborate gables and circular stained-glass windows.
History
Nestling in the Morbihan bocage, in the heart of inland Brittany, the chapel of Saint-Yves de Priziac is a striking testimony to the religious and architectural revival that swept through rural France in the last decades of the 19th century. Built in the Latin cross style of the Neo-Gothic period, it is immediately striking for the verticality of its high entablature bell tower, whose elaborate gables and two storeys of openings stand out elegantly against the Breton sky. What really sets Saint-Yves apart from Priziac is the extraordinary interior gallery created by the sculptor Lebrun. In a skilful interplay of morality and aesthetics, a frieze runs the length of the structure, depicting the seven deadly sins - a rare iconographic programme in a village chapel, testifying to a definite artistic ambition and a patron who was as keen to educate as to edify. The spandrels of the arches, decorated with allegorical figures embodying the vices, complete this remarkably expressive moral bestiary. The chapel is also appreciated for the coherence of its interior space: a wooden barrel vault with pointed arches gives the nave an unexpected warmth, while the vaults of the transept square, mounted on wooden ogives, reveal a carpenter's skill of the highest quality. This marriage of wood and stone, typical of Breton neo-Gothic buildings of the period, creates a contemplative and luminous atmosphere. The west gable wall, pierced by a portal with a pointed arch crowned by a circular stained glass window, invites contemplation even before crossing the threshold. The light filtered through this large stone eye tints the interior with reflections that change according to the time of day and the season, providing photography enthusiasts with frames of rare beauty. Listed as a Historic Monument since 1975, Saint-Yves Chapel remains a living place, anchored in the collective memory of the Priziac community.
Architecture
The chapel of Saint-Yves de Priziac is a neo-Gothic building with a Latin cross floor plan, characterised by a flat apse and transepts that protrude only slightly, giving it a balanced, compact silhouette typical of Breton rural chapels of the late 19th century. The western gable wall opens onto a portal with a pointed arch - a Gothic signature par excellence - topped by a circular stained glass window whose composition adds a bright, colourful touch to the façade. Dominating the ensemble, the high bell tower with its entablature articulates two storeys of openings framed by elaborate spandrels, giving the building an assertive verticality that makes it visible from afar in the Morbihan countryside. Inside, the wooden architecture reveals all its subtlety. The nave is covered by a wooden barrel vault with a third-point arch section, bringing warmth and resonance to the space. The square of the transept has wooden rib vaults, reflecting the mastery of local carpenters in imitating Gothic stone structures. This use of wood as the main structural and decorative material is a frequent feature of 19th-century Breton neo-Gothic buildings, linked both to local resources and to regional building traditions. The most remarkable feature of the interior is the tribune, created by the sculptor Lebrun, whose frieze representing the seven deadly sins is an iconographic programme of rare richness for a rural chapel. The spandrels of the arches are occupied by allegorical figures representing the vices, forming a coherent sculptural ensemble of striking expressiveness. This decoration, inherited from the great medieval tradition and reinterpreted using 19th-century methods, makes Saint-Yves a monument as interesting for its artistic content as for its architectural structure.
Related Figures
Saint Yves de Tréguier — saint patron breton et des juristes, dédicataire de la chapelle, figure centrale de la dévotion populaire en BretagneLebrun — sculpteur auteur de la tribune intérieure et de la remarquable frise des sept péchés capitauxPropriétaires du manoir de Kergoat — commanditaires de la reconstruction de la chapelle après la destruction de l'édifice primitif en 1881Viollet-le-Duc — théoricien du néogothique français dont l'influence architecturale inspira la génération des constructeurs de Saint-YvesArchitecte diocésain du Morbihan (fin XIXe siècle) — vraisemblablement impliqué dans la conception ou la supervision de l'édifice, selon la pratique courante de l'époque
Tags
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Chapelle Saint-Yves located?
Chapelle Saint-Yves is located in Priziac, Département 56 department, Bretagne region, France.
When was Chapelle Saint-Yves built?
Chapelle Saint-Yves dates back to a period built in the Middle Ages (11th-15th century).
Is Chapelle Saint-Yves open to visitors?
Chapelle Saint-Yves is currently closed to visitors.